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Angela Gillespie
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Happy Halloween!
October 30 - November 5, 2009
Q &A
NewsRoanoke.com
[In Memorial]
Honoring One of Their Own
Final Q&A
P4-5– Read our final Q&A sessions with local and state candidates before heading to the poles on Tuesday.
Hayden Hollingsworth
Finding A Way P6– Hayden Hollingsworth gives a dose of perspective through his story of an Ethiopian’s quest to become an American doctor.
Angels Abide P7– Don’t believe in miracles? Read Mary Ellen Campagna’s history and you may change your mind.
Triple Threat P10– The Northside Vikings have a stable of running backs to go the distance as they seek the Blue Ridge District Title.
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Photo by Rhett Fleitz
Roanoke Fire Fighters enter Evergreen Burial Park in a long procession in honor of fallen comrade Captain Chris Brown after Monday’s Funeral at First Baptist Church. Over 100 members of the tightly knit community made up the procession. Chris Brown leaves behind a wife and two daughters.
Final Alarm for Roanoke Fire Fighter Father, friend and Roafollowed the same path noke Fireman Chris Brown and currently serves as passed away unexpectedly the Lieutenant on Engine last Thursday with his fami5. His mother, Marquetta ly at his side after he became Brown, retired from the ill from the effects of a brain Roanoke City Occupatumor suffered shortly after tional Health Clinic as an completing a 24 hour shift RN. the day before. Brown was a Chris Brown was hired Captain assigned to station into the Roanoke Fire De1 on C-shift and an IAFF partment, now Roanoke Local 1132 member. He Fire-EMS, in August 1994. was 44 years old at the time He worked in the compaof his death. He is survived ny prior to attending his by his wife, Stephanie, and recruit school which he their two daughters Caroattended with eight other line, 16 and Hannah, 11. members in 1995. His first Roanoke Fire-EMS perassignment as a firefighter Photo by Rhett Fleitz placed him in one of the sonnel mourned the loss of Captain Brown on Monday Captain Chris Trussler solemnly awaits the beginning of Mon- busiest companies in the afternoon at his funeral. Fol- day’s burial service. city at the time - old Stalowing the service, Brown’s tion #3 located at 6th Street vice, a helmet is like a badge of courage, family and his fellow firefighters held a and tradition is everything. and Rorer Ave SW. reception at Roanoke’s Fire Station One. This assignment placed Chris on the Battalion Chief Jeff Beckner passed Captain Brown’s ladder truck, with on Brown’s helmet to his brother, Mark, scene of many of the most memorable black ribbon on the front, sat outside. also a firefighter. “That passing of the incidents in Roanoke’s recent history. His fellow shift workers stood together helmet to Mark, I think, will definitely He would later be transferred to Station for a group picture in front of the truck, mean something to Mark,” said Price. #6 with Capt. Eddie Carter (retired). minus their captain. Brown and his family dedicated their From there, Chris would make the rank “He took a bunch of misfits here at lives to the City of Roanoke. He was a of Lieutenant and serve at Station #11 the station, and he turned us into the second-generation firefighter who fol- where he would remain with Captain best crew the city’s got,” said J.J. Price. lowed in his father’s footsteps. Clarence Carter until his At a reception after the funeral, pic- Wayne Brown retired from the depart- transfer back to > CONTINUED tures were on a screen both of Brown’s ment in 1989. His brother, Mark, also his beloved Sta- PX: Firefighter family and of his crew. In the fire sertion #3.
South County Library Breaks Ground No doubt about it: “The library was so overwhelmed,” stated Diana Rosapepe, director of library services, concerning the current Roanoke County Headquarters/419 Library. Forty years after it was dedicated, that building will be phased out for a new, updated facility on Merriman Road in Southwest Roanoke County, across from Penn Forest Elementary School. A groundbreaking was held on Tuesday (October 27th), with construction slated to start soon. The innovative $9 million dollar structure will feature 54,000 square feet, including a 5,000 square foot auditorium. There will be a roundabout built on
Merriman Road at the intersection of Meadowlark to reduce traffic disruptions. Roadwork will continue through September 2010. The projected completion of the South County Library is scheduled for July 2011. Once budgeted at $15 million and then redesigned to save money, pricing came down with construction crews looking for work, making it a buyer’s market. Rosapepe spoke vividly about the problems with the current 419 location. “You won’t have to stalk the cars and circle the
Photo by Lawson Koeppel
> CONTINUED County dignitaries and local children broke ground together P2: Library for the new South County Library this week.
Gubernatorial Candidates Square Off at Roanoke College Olin Hall at Roanoke College was the setting last week for the final debate between Creigh Deeds (D) and Bob McDonnell (R), candidates for the office of Governor. Jay Warren, WSLS news channel 10 anchor, and political analyst Dr. Bob Denton were the moderators. Deeds said that transportation was the biggest hurdle: “We have to have economic growth. [There are] 4,000 bridges and tunnels that are structurally deficient and we are going to run out of federal matching funds by 2016.” Deeds then stated “everything is on the table for me as far as funding.” McDonnell said he has a detailed plan to use bonds and public/private partnerships, general funds and creative solutions like offshore drilling and privatizing the state ABC stores to fund his transportation plans. “I won’t propose raising taxes like my opponent in these tough economic times.” During the open discussion period they both accused the other of taking money from > CONTINUED P3: Governor
Walker Buys Patrick Henry Hotel
The lobby of The Patrick Henry Hotel in a bygone era.
Local real estate developer Ed Walker has purchased The Patrick Henry Hotel on Jefferson Street in downtown Roanoke. “The goal is to take a building that has become a community weakness and turn it into a community strength,” said WalkDowntown er earlier this week. Walker, joined by a team of local development experts, plans to completely renovate and refit The Patrick Henry into a commercial and residential mixed-use complex, featuring offices, retail, restaurant and event spaces. Commercial opportunities will include professional offices from 2,500 to 10,000 square feet, a coffee shop, an upscale restaurant and bar, retail spaces from 1,500 to 3,000 square feet and document storage space of 22,000
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> CONTINUED P2: Walker
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